On April 26, 2026, the London Marathon happened, and world records got smashed. The sub-2 run is now officially not a myth anymore. Athletes made history during this run on so many levels. But, being the sneakerheads that we are, we decided to dig deep into the sneakers the athletes had on. So today, we’re gonna take a look at all the record-breaking sneakers that made marathon history on different occasions! Who knows? Maybe this will inspire you to take up running if you need the motivation. Now, let’s dive in, shall we?
Record-Breaking Sneakers & Athletes Who Made History!
#5 – Eliud Kipchoge – Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2
Starting off our list is none other than Eliud Kipchoge. Kipchoge broke the world record for men’s running with a time of 2:01:39 at the 2018 Berlin Marathon. This is actually where the previous record of 2:02:57 was set. So that was like a full circle moment! On that day, Eliud Kipchoge was rocking the Nike ZoomX Vaporflu Next%2.
Side note: Let’s put into perspective the evolution of sneaker tech and human performance. While Kipchoge won the race with this time in 2018, Amos Kipruto came FOURTH in London 2026 at 2:01:39!
#4 – Eliud Kipchoge – Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 2
Here’s why Kipchoge deserves two spots on this list. He broke the men’s WR in 2022 (and his own PR) with a time of 2:01:09 in the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 2. Although he ended up breaking the 2-hour barrier, it was unfortunately an unofficial record. In fact, he was the first man to do it when he ran 1:59:40 during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria, in 2019! However, he proved that it is physically possible to do it, and in 2026, it became true. So in a way, he paved the way for today’s athletes to do it!
#3 – Kelvin Kiptum – Nike Alphafly 3
In third place, we have Kelvin Kiptum, who broke Eliud Kipchoge’s WR in 2023 at the Chicago Marathon! He was also the first man to officially break the 2:01 barrier. He did all that while rocking another Nike running shoe: the Alphafly 3. And honestly, Nike has time and time again proved that it’s one of the biggest players in the running world! But read on, because we’re not even close to being done with our list.
#2 – Jacob Kiplimo – Nike AlphaFly 4 (Prototype)
When we said that the London Marathon made history, it’s not because of one record. It’s because the top athletes all achieved insane feats of human performance! And one of those athletes was Jacob Kiplimo. Although it wasn’t a sub-2 run, Kiplimo also technically broke the previous world record! And well, he did it while wearing a prototype of the new Nike AlphaFly 4. So, this shoe is already a success before it even drops commercially!
#1 – Sebastian Sawe & Yomif Kejelcha – Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3
We could’ve split these into two, but we personally think both of these incredible athletes deserve the first spot on our list! Not only did Sawe and Kejelcha both break the 2-hour barrier, but they did it in the same shoes. The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 is today the gold standard for world records and is worth the $500 price tag! And if the results say anything, it’s that these babies are worth the money if you wanna take your marathon training to the next level. And now that a new WR got set, we can’t wait to see what sneaker brands will cook up to try and be the ones that beat it with their athletes!
